Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe

Sweet, crumbly lemon cookie bars with a perfect balance of sweet and citrusy, are a great sweet snack for Christmas.

Lemon desserts work really nicely after a nice hearty and filling Christmas dinner – they are refreshing, subtly sweet, and simply delicious.

Probably, the easy way would be to make lemon cookies, but we need something more festive than individual cookies for our holiday table.

So we can easily turn lemon sugar cookies into squared bars packed with the same lemony flavor, enhanced by vanilla extract and sweet lemon glaze.

This recipe is my twist on lemon bars. I don’t separate the layers, I make it simpler: one lemon-packed layer of goodness.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A nice big batch of simple buttery lemon squares with a perfect crumble.
• Perfectly lemony, light, not overly sweet, and pair well with a cup of tea in the morning.
• Super simple (and faster) recipe that makes these lemon bars from scratch. No need for a cookie scoop!
• Universal: great in summer as well as for holidays, and year-round for potluck! One of my family’s favorite desserts no matter the season.

Ingredients Notes

For detailed steps and measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

All the simple ingredients for this lemon sugar cookie bars recipe are pantry staples available at any grocery store.

Lemon Cookies Bars

• Unsalted butter, softened to make flavorful soft cookie bars. If you want them extra soft and moist you can also add some vegetable oil, but it is completely optional.
• Granulated sugar (powdered sugar works too).
• Large whole eggs to give our cookie bars structure and nice thickness. I’m always going for a large egg size for baking. 
• Lemon flavor: Lemon zest + freshly squeezed lemon juice – freshly squeezed. Get fresh lemons, preferably organic, to be sure the skin is safe to eat and isn’t treated with any chemicals. The flavors of store-bought juice can’t compare with fresh lemon juice, so don’t substitute.
• Vanilla extract. Always try to use the natural pure extract.
• Flour mixture: All-purpose flour + baking powder + salt (if using salted butter, skip extra salt)

Glaze

• Confectioners’ sugar
• Fresh lemon juice
• Lemon zest

Kitchen Equipment

• 9×13 baking pan lined with parchment paper or foil and greased with nonstick spray.
• Large bowl
• Measuring cup
• Rubber spatula
• Electric mixer or stand mixer (use paddle attachment)
• Cheese grater or microplane to have some fresh zest.

How To Make Lemon Cookie Bars

1: Prepare The Batter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Combine the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl. Beat butter mixture well until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Add lemon juice and zest, then vanilla extract, mixing until just combined.
6. Keeping the mixer stirring on low, slowly add the dry ingredients (combine flour, baking powder, and salt) to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.

2: Bake Cookie Bars

1. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish in a smooth, even layer.
2. Bake the cookie bars for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven or until the edges are golden brown. A toothpick test should return clean.
3. Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack while you make the glaze.

3: Make The Glaze

1. To make the glaze, whisk the confectioner’s sugar with the lemon juice and lemon zest until combined and the mixture is smooth.
2. Pour the lemon mixture over the top of the cooled cookie bars. Allow the glaze to set before cutting the bars and serving.
3. If you want the process to move a little faster, you can cool the bars in the refrigerator (make sure to set them on a hot pad) and then chill them again once you add the glaze. Remove and bring them to room temperature before slicing and serving.
4. You can skip the glaze and simply dust the cooled bars with some powdered sugar.

Storage

Let the lemon cookie bars cool completely before storing. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze lemon bar cookies without the frosting, tightly wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil with a piece of parchment paper in between layers, and freeze for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Substitutions & Variations

• No-bake lemon cookie bars recipe. You can simplify the recipe and avoid baking altogether. Simply use a no-bake crust made with melted butter and crushed cookies, press it into the bottom of the pan with the back of a spoon, and fill it with store-bought curd or homemade lemon filling.
• For more citrus flavor, you can use orange zest (and juice), lime, or grapefruit too. I love the light lemon flavor these easy lemon sugar cookie bars have and I usually don’t try to enhance it. I would first make classic lemon bars, and the next time, I would experiment with different flavors.
• For extra soft and fluffy cookie bars, use some cream cheese or sour cream in the batter.
• Lemon cream cheese frosting. One of the classic frostings you can use instead of the simple glaze. Beat butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth, then mix in lemon zest and juice, add powdered sugar, and mix well. Not a fan of cream cheese but want a thick frosting? Lemon buttercream is another great option.
• Lemon bars with shortbread crust and lemon curd filling. A variation of the recipe that looks more like a tart, but is still fantastic. To make the curd you need to mix egg yolk, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice and cook in a saucepan over medium-low for 10-12 minutes until thick like curd. Prebake the crust, let the crust cool, then pour the homemade lemon curd and bake again. This version is much creamier!
• Need extra lemon flavor? Add a few drops of the lemon extract.
• Customize for any occasion with festive colorful sprinkles or white chocolate chips.

Expert Tips To Make The Best Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

• Adding baking soda to the flour mixture will add a chewy texture to the cookie bars.
• For best results, make sure to sift and measure your flour correctly (with a scoop and level method).
• For baking recipes from scratch always use room temperature ingredients.
• Avoid over-baking. You will get an overly dense and dry texture.
• Cooled bars will be easier to cut. Use a very sharp knife to make neat squares.
• Warmed-up lemons will be easier to squeeze. The best way to warm them up is to pop them in the microwave for just a few seconds.

If you double the recipe and have two prepared pans, bake on the middle and top rack. I try to avoid the bottom one. 

If you love this dessert bar recipe, you’re going to love these other bar recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Lemon Recipes

Lemon Pound Cake

Easy Lemon Cake Recipe

Lemon Icebox Pie

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

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